Coniston — Volume 01 — Page 1

English → Pt CHAPTER I Level 6/10

First I am to write a love-story of long ago, of a time some little while after General Jackson had got into the White House and had shown the world what a real democracy was.

Primeiro devo escrever uma história de amor de tempos antigos, de uma época um pouco depois de o General Jackson ter chegado à Casa Branca e ter mostrado ao mundo o que era uma verdadeira democracia.

The Era of the first six Presidents had closed, and a new Era had begun.

A Era dos primeiros seis Presidentes havia terminado, e uma nova Era havia começado.

I am speaking of political Eras.

Estou falando de Eras políticas.

Certain gentlemen, with a pious belief in democracy, but with a firmer determination to get on top, arose,--and got in top.

Certos cavalheiros, com uma piedosa crença na democracia, mas com uma determinação ainda mais firme de chegar ao topo, surgiram — e chegaram ao topo.

So many of these gentlemen arose in the different states, and they were so clever, and they found so many chinks in the Constitution to crawl through and steal the people's chestnuts, that the Era may be called the Boss-Era.

Tantos desses cavalheiros surgiram nos diferentes estados, e eram tão espertos, e encontraram tantas brechas na Constituição para se esgueirar e roubar as castanhas do povo, que a Era pode ser chamada de Era dos Chefões.

After the Boss came along certain Things without souls, but of many minds, and found more chinks in the Constitution: bigger chinks, for the Things were bigger, and they stole more chestnuts.

Depois dos Chefões surgiram certas Entidades sem alma, mas de muitas mentes, e encontraram mais brechas na Constituição: brechas maiores, pois as Entidades eram maiores, e roubaram mais castanhas.

But I am getting far ahead of my love-story--and of my book.

Mas estou me adiantando muito em relação à minha história de amor — e ao meu livro.

The reader is warned that this first love-story will, in a few chapters, come to an end: and not to a happy end--otherwise there would be no book.

O leitor é avisado de que esta primeira história de amor chegará, em poucos capítulos, a um fim: e não a um fim feliz — caso contrário não haveria livro.

Lest he should throw the book away when he arrives at this page, it is only fair to tell him that there is another and a much longer love story later on, if he will only continue to read, in which, it is hoped, he may not be disappointed.

Para que ele não jogue o livro fora quando chegar a essa página, é justo dizer-lhe que há outra história de amor, bem mais longa, mais adiante, se ele apenas continuar a ler, na qual, espera-se, ele não ficará desapontado.

Vocabulary

Primeiro: pri-MEI-ru — First; used to indicate priority or sequence
devo: DEH-vu — I must; I owe; first-person singular of dever
escrever: es-kre-VER — To write; to compose text or a document
uma: OO-ma — A, an; feminine indefinite article in Portuguese
história: is-TOH-ria — Story, history; a narrative or account of events
de: de — Of, from; common Portuguese preposition indicating origin
amor: a-MOR — Love; deep affection between people
tempos: TEM-pus — Times, eras; plural of tempo meaning period or time
antigos: an-TEE-gus — Old, ancient; referring to past times or things
época: EH-pu-ka — Era, epoch; a distinct period in history
um: oom — A, an; masculine indefinite article in Portuguese
pouco: POH-ku — A little, a bit; small quantity or degree
depois: de-POIS — After, afterwards; indicating subsequent time or order
o: u — The; masculine definite article in Portuguese
General: zhe-ne-RAL — General; high-ranking military officer or title
ter: ter — To have; auxiliary or main verb indicating possession
chegado: she-GA-du — Arrived; past participle of chegar, to arrive
à: a — To the; contraction of preposition a with article a
Casa: KA-za — House; a building used as a home or residence
Branca: BRAN-ka — White; feminine adjective meaning white in color
e: i — And; conjunction connecting words or clauses together
mostrado: mos-TRA-du — Shown; past participle of mostrar, to show
ao: ow — To the; masculine contraction of preposition a and o
mundo: MOON-du — World; the entire earth or all of humanity
que: ke — That, what, which; conjunction or relative pronoun
era: EH-ra — Was; third-person singular imperfect of ser, to be
verdadeira: ver-da-DEI-ra — True, real, genuine; feminine adjective of verdadeiro
democracia: de-mo-kra-SEE-a — Democracy; system of government by the people
A: a — The; feminine definite article in Portuguese
Era: EH-ra — Era; a long and distinct period of history
dos: dus — Of the; masculine plural contraction of de and os
primeiros: pri-MEI-rus — First; masculine plural of primeiro, indicating order
seis: SEIS — Six; the cardinal number between five and seven
Presidentes: pre-zi-DEN-tis — Presidents; plural of presidente, heads of state
havia: a-VEE-a — Had, there was; imperfect form of haver indicating past
terminado: ter-mi-NA-du — Ended, finished; past participle of terminar
nova: NOH-va — New; feminine adjective meaning recently created or started
começado: ko-me-SA-du — Begun, started; past participle of começar
Estou: es-TOH — I am; first-person singular present of estar
falando: fa-LAN-du — Talking, speaking; gerund form of falar
Eras: EH-ras — Eras; plural of era, distinct historical periods
políticas: po-LEE-ti-kas — Political; feminine plural adjective relating to politics
Certos: SER-tus — Certain, some; masculine plural adjective meaning particular
cavalheiros: ka-va-LEI-rus — Gentlemen; plural of cavalheiro, polite term for men
com: kon — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
piedosa: pie-DOH-za — Pious, devout; showing religious devotion or reverence
crença: KREN-sa — Belief, faith; a conviction or accepted principle
na: na — In the; feminine contraction of em and a
mas: mas — But; conjunction indicating contrast or contradiction
determinação: de-ter-mi-na-SAO — Determination; firm resolve to achieve a goal
ainda: a-IN-da — Still, yet, even; adverb indicating continuation or addition
mais: mais — More; comparative adverb indicating greater degree
firme: FIR-mi — Firm, steady; strong and resolute in character
chegar: she-GAR — To arrive, to reach; to attain a destination or goal
topo: TOH-pu — Top, summit; the highest point of something
surgiram: sur-ZHEE-ram — Arose, emerged; third-person plural past of surgir
chegaram: she-GA-ram — They arrived; third-person plural past of chegar
Tantos: TAN-tus — So many; masculine plural indicating a large quantity
desses: DES-is — Of those; masculine plural contraction of de and esses
nos: nus — In the, us; contraction of em and os, or pronoun
diferentes: di-fe-REN-tis — Different; plural adjective indicating variety or contrast
estados: es-TA-dus — States; plural of estado, political or territorial divisions
eram: EH-ram — Were; third-person plural imperfect of ser, to be
tão: tow — So, as; adverb intensifying an adjective or adverb
espertos: es-PER-tus — Clever, sharp; masculine plural meaning smart or cunning
encontraram: en-kon-TRA-ram — They found; third-person plural past of encontrar
tantas: TAN-tas — So many; feminine plural indicating a large quantity
brechas: BREH-shas — Loopholes, gaps; openings exploited to gain advantage
Constituição: kon-sti-twi-SAO — Constitution; fundamental legal document of a nation
para: PA-ra — For, to; preposition indicating purpose or destination
se: se — Themselves, oneself; reflexive pronoun in Portuguese
esgueirar: es-gei-RAR — To sneak, to slip through; to move stealthily
roubar: ro-BAR — To steal, to rob; to take something unlawfully
as: as — The; feminine plural definite article in Portuguese
castanhas: kas-TAN-yas — Chestnuts; nuts, or figuratively the fruits of labor
do: du — Of the; masculine contraction of preposition de and o
povo: POH-vu — People, folk; the common citizens of a nation
a: a — The, to; feminine article or preposition in Portuguese
pode: POH-di — Can, may; third-person singular present of poder
ser: ser — To be; infinitive of the verb indicating identity
chamada: sha-MA-da — Called, named; feminine past participle of chamar
Chefões: she-FOINS — Bosses, big shots; powerful political or criminal leaders
Depois: de-POIS — Afterwards, later; indicating a subsequent event or time
certas: SER-tas — Certain, some; feminine plural meaning particular or specific
Entidades: en-ti-DA-dis — Entities; organizations or beings with distinct existence
sem: sem — Without; preposition indicating absence or lack of something
alma: AL-ma — Soul; the spiritual or moral essence of a person
muitas: MWEE-tas — Many; feminine plural adjective indicating large number
mentes: MEN-tis — Minds; plural of mente, referring to intellectual capacity
maiores: mai-OH-ris — Greater, larger; plural comparative of grande, big
pois: POIS — Because, for, since; causal or explanatory conjunction
roubaram: ro-BA-ram — They stole; third-person plural past tense of roubar
Mas: mas — But; conjunction indicating a contrast or exception
estou: es-TOH — I am; first-person singular present tense of estar
me: mi — Me, myself; first-person singular reflexive pronoun
adiantando: a-dian-TAN-du — Getting ahead; advancing beyond the intended point
muito: MWEE-tu — Very, much; adverb intensifying adjectives or verbs
em: em — In, at; preposition indicating location or time
relação: he-la-SAO — Relation, relationship; connection or reference between things
minha: MIN-ya — My; feminine possessive pronoun in first person singular
meu: MEU — My; masculine possessive pronoun in first person singular
livro: LEE-vru — Book; a written or printed literary work
O: u — The; masculine definite article in Portuguese
leitor: lei-TOR — Reader; a person who reads books or texts
é: eh — Is; third-person singular present tense of ser
avisado: a-vi-ZA-du — Warned, advised; past participle of avisar, to warn
esta: ES-ta — This; feminine demonstrative pronoun or adjective
primeira: pri-MEI-ra — First; feminine ordinal number indicating initial position
chegará: she-ga-RA — Will arrive; third-person singular future of chegar
poucos: POH-kus — Few; masculine plural adjective meaning a small number
capítulos: ka-PEE-tu-lus — Chapters; plural of capítulo, sections of a book
fim: fim — End; the concluding point of something
não: now — No, not; negation particle in Portuguese
feliz: fe-LEES — Happy; experiencing or expressing joy and contentment
caso: KA-zu — Case, if; a situation or conditional conjunction
contrário: kon-TRA-riu — Contrary, opposite; differing from what is expected
haveria: a-ve-REE-a — There would be; conditional form of haver
Para: PA-ra — For, to; preposition indicating purpose or direction
ele: EH-li — He, him; masculine third-person singular pronoun
jogue: ZHO-gi — Throw; subjunctive or imperative of jogar, to throw
fora: FOH-ra — Away, out; indicating removal or external position
quando: KWAN-du — When; conjunction or adverb indicating time of action
essa: ES-sa — That; feminine demonstrative pronoun referring to something near
página: PA-zhi-na — Page; a single side of a leaf in a book
justo: ZHUS-tu — Fair, just; morally right or appropriate in context
dizer-lhe: di-ZER-lyi — To tell him/her; infinitive with indirect object pronoun
há: a — There is, there are; present tense of haver
outra: OH-tra — Another, other; feminine adjective referring to different one
bem: bem — Well, very; adverb indicating manner or high degree
longa: LON-ga — Long; feminine adjective describing great length or duration
adiante: a-dian-ti — Ahead, further on; adverb indicating forward position
apenas: a-PE-nas — Only, just; adverb limiting or restricting a statement
continuar: kon-ti-nuar — To continue; to carry on without stopping
ler: ler — To read; to interpret written or printed text
qual: kwal — Which, that; relative pronoun referring to a thing
espera-se: es-PE-ra-si — One expects; impersonal reflexive form of esperar
ficará: fi-ka-RA — Will be, will become; future tense of ficar
desapontado: de-za-pon-TA-du — Disappointed; feeling let down by unmet expectations

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